Latest News
Betting Shops in England Eligible for Grants of up to £6000 a Site in £5B Recovery Plan
The UK Betting & Gaming Council (BGC) has welcomed the announcement ahead of Wednesday’s Budget that non-essential retail businesses such as betting shops will be eligible for direct cash grants of up to £6000 per site, although the bookmaker trade body has reiterated its call for an extension of business rates relief for a further year.
Details of the grant scheme came as part of a series of announcements ahead of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s annual budget speech, in which he is set to reveal a new grant scheme totalling £5 billion to aid the recovery of high-street businesses in England.
Nearly 700,000 shops, restaurants, hotels, hair salons, gyms and other businesses in England will be eligible for “restart grants,” to be distributed directly to firms by local authorities from April. It will replace the current monthly grant system.
Under the budget plans, non-essential retail will be eligible for direct cash grants of up to £6000 to help them start trading again when allowed to do so, while hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym businesses in England – which will remain closed for longer under the government’s roadmap out of lockdown – will be able to apply for grants of £18,000 per site.
“The BGC would warmly welcome any additional support for betting shops, be that business rates or grants, particularly giving the pressure independent betting shops are under,” a spokesman for the BGC said.
Racecourses and bookmakers in England were given a clear set of dates to work towards for reopening last week when prime minister Boris Johnson gave the first details of a timetable for leaving lockdown.
Non-essential retail, which has for most of the pandemic included betting shops, will form part of phase two of the plan, with April 12 the provisional date for reopening if vaccination rates rise and hospitalisations drop sufficiently.
BGC chief executive Michael Dugher has written to Sunak ahead of the budget setting out a five-point plan for more business support to “unlock the power of the high street and drive economic growth.”
Dugher said in his letter: “With premises shut for much of the past year, this would help protect jobs and remove a major financial pressure on businesses that have suffered a significant loss of income during the pandemic.”
Dugher pointed to the fact that licensed betting offices had been severely impacted by the various regional and national lockdowns over the past ten months, with revenues for this sector falling by 45% in 2020.
The letter also seeks assurance that funding for devolved administrations is made available to all business sectors in need. While businesses in England and Northern Ireland have benefited from business rates relief since last April, the Scottish and Welsh governments took the decision not to provide support for gambling companies.
“The UK Government’s backing for business stands in stark contrast to the refusal of the devolved administrations in Wales and Scotland to offer business rates relief to our members,” states the letter.
“This has sadly had a disproportionate impact on our smaller independent businesses, many of them family run, which have faced making staff redundant and an uncertain future.”
Latest News
Gate.io and AWS’s ‘Gateway to Championships’ Brings Blockchain to the Forefront with FC Internazionale Milano Partnership
The event also brought together industry leaders, sports icons, and blockchain innovators for an evening that not only celebrated technological advancements but also paved the way for a historic and transformative partnership in blockchain and sports.
Panel discussions, moderated by Kristen Lim, Co-Founder and CEO of Rockrose, explored the profound impacts of blockchain technology on the global market. Thought leaders provided insights into the evolving landscape of Web3 and contributed their expertise, highlighting the transformative potential of blockchain across various sectors. Together, they examined key trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of Web3.
VIP Dinner, Networking, and Celebrations
The event concluded with a VIP dinner and networking session, where attendees connected with industry and sports luminaries against the backdrop of a live DJ, creating an atmosphere of celebration and collaboration.
SOCCER2050: From On-Chain to On-Pitch
Additionally, Gate.io organized SOCCER2050, a separate football match highlighting its commitment to the sport and the community. The event was co-hosted with LTP on September 17 in Singapore, where several teams faced off in friendly football matches following a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Dr. Lin Han and representatives from LTP, Huawei Cloud, and Zodia Custody. This event further cemented Gate.io’s presence in the football world, fostering camaraderie and engagement among participants.
Disclaimer
This is a private event for professional knowledge sharing and networking purpose only. You should always seek independent professional advice before making any investment decisions. The products and/or services mentioned herein are only available to persons outside Singapore. Please be noted that Gate Group may restrict or prohibit the use of all or a portion of the Services from restricted locations. For more information, please read the applicable user agreements.
The post Gate.io and AWS’s ‘Gateway to Championships’ Brings Blockchain to the Forefront with FC Internazionale Milano Partnership appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Aristocrat Gaming
Record Progressive Jackpot at Over $2 Million and Climbing Up for Grabs at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
A record progressive jackpot of more than $2 million continues to climb on a $1 million Dragon Link slot machine by Aristocrat Gaming. The huge jackpot is up for grabs at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood.
The $1 denomination Dragon Link slot is a single-site progressive (SSP) and is located in the high-limit slots area of the Hollywood casino, famous through the world for its iconic Guitar Hotel. The slot machine’s progressive jackpot increases independently from other Dragon Link slots at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood and elsewhere.
The jackpot is climbing by an average of $7,000 per day and is on track to become one of the largest slot machine payouts in Seminole Gaming history and the largest Dragon Link jackpot ever awarded. Players at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood have a chance to be a part of jackpot history.
“It’s exciting to witness the Dragon Link jackpot grow to an unprecedented amount. The game has been a favorite since its release, and with this amazing prize now up for grabs, our players have the potential for a huge win,” said David Hoenemeyer, Chief Operating Officer of Seminole Gaming.
“We are incredibly proud of the fanfare Dragon Link has amassed over the years, and this historic milestone reinforces player excitement for the brand. The Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood team have been incredible partners and huge supporters of our $1 million Dragon Link offering. We can’t wait to be a part of the celebration of this record-breaking jackpot,” said Kurt Gissane, Chief Revenue Officer for Aristocrat Gaming.
Since its debut at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood in June 2021, Dragon Link has consistently drawn in players with its exciting high-denomination offering, which includes a $25 minimum bet and a $2,500 max bet. The casino-resort was the first in the world to feature the $1 million Dragon Link progressive, and today, it remains one of the most popular high-limit slot games available.
The impact of Dragon Link on the gaming landscape has been immense, cementing its status as a player favorite. While Aristocrat Gaming continues to push boundaries with innovative offerings, the latest jackpot at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood represents a new milestone in gaming entertainment.
Xpoint has announced two key appointments as it strengthens its leadership team.
Chris Chapman has been promoted to Chief Technology Officer and Rahul Agrawal has joined as VP of Engineering.
Chapman previously served as VP of Engineering at Xpoint and has been pivotal in leading the company’s engineering efforts, advancing its geolocation technology and ensuring the platform’s reliability and scalability. Prior to joining Xpoint, he held senior leadership positions at companies such as Sourcepoint, Integral Ad Science and Amino Payments, which he founded. In his new role, he will focus on driving innovation and ensuring that Xpoint remains at the forefront of geolocation and compliance solutions in the iGaming sector.
Agrawal brings over 25 years of experience in technology leadership, most recently serving as VP of Technology at PointsBet, where he advanced the development of the sportsbook and casino platform, built a global engineering team and integrated multiple technology partners, including geolocation providers.
His extensive background also includes being CTO at FaceOff and senior technology roles at Jump Ramp Games and High 5 Games. He will lead the Xpoint engineering team, focusing on operational excellence and the continued development of the supplier’s geolocation technology.
Manu Gambhir, CEO of Xpoint, said: “We are excited to promote Chris to CTO and welcome Rahul as our VP of Engineering.
“Chris has been an integral part of Xpoint’s success and his promotion to CTO is a natural progression as we continue to evolve. Rahul’s extensive experience in building and scaling technology platforms will complement Chris’s leadership and together, their expertise will drive the next phase of innovation for Xpoint as we continue to lead the geolocation and compliance space in the iGaming industry.”
Gate.io and AWS’s ‘Gateway to Championships’ Brings Blockchain to the Forefront with FC Internazionale Milano Partnership
Record Progressive Jackpot at Over $2 Million and Climbing Up for Grabs at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
Xpoint Appoints Chris Chapman as CTO and Rahul Agrawal as VP of Engineering
9 Aspects to Look For in a Top iGaming Payment Provider
Week 38/2024 slot games releases
Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort and Quick Custom Intelligence Forge a 3-Year Strategic Alliance
BOS/The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling commissions Advisense to strengthen efforts against money laundering
Players to Unleash Their Inner Outlaw in new slot game, Bank Wagon Heist
ACMA: Young Australians Embrace National Online Gambling Self-Exclusion Register
Week 35/2024 slot games releases
-
gaming2 years agoODIN by 4Players: Immersive, state-of-the-art in-game audio launches into the next generation of gaming
-
EEG iGaming Directory8 years ago
iSoftBet continues to grow with new release Forest Mania
-
News7 years ago
Softbroke collaborates with Asia Live Tech for the expansion of the service line in the igaming market
-
News6 years ago
Super Bowl LIII: NFL Fans Can Bet on the #1 Sportsbook Review Site Betting-Super-Bowl.com, Providing Free Unbiased and Trusted News, Picks and Predictions
-
iGaming Industry7 years ago
Rick Meitzler appointed to the Indian Gaming Magazine Advisory Board for 2018
-
News6 years ago
REVEALED: Top eSports players set to earn $3.2 million in 2019
-
iGaming Industry7 years ago
French Senator raises Loot Boxes to France’s Gambling Regulator
-
News6 years ago
Exclusive Interview with Miklos Handa (Founder of the email marketing solutions, “MailMike.net”), speaker at Vienna International Gaming Expo 2018
